Four times Spock was a genius
by idril.tinuviel
Summary: ...and one time he wasn't. K/S pre-slash "In retrospective, however, Kirk thought that it would’ve been better to actually listen to Uhura for once. Maybe then he and Spock would not be in the predicament they were in now."


Author's Notes: This is my firyst K/S Story ever. I originally posted it at _The Kirk/Spock Slash Community_ over at LiveJournal. Enjoy and review!

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**Four times Spock was a genius…**

**1.**

Uhura was briefing them on the cultural peculiarities of the inhabitants of yet another planet which Starfleet wanted a trade agreement with. Kirk was bored out of his mind. He hated these briefings.

Uhura always said things like "Don't shake the king's hand. It is offensive to them to be touched with what they regard is the dirtiest part of the human body." Or "I must stress – and that goes especially to you, Captain – don't make a pass at the queen, or you will be the newest addition to her harem." She never failed to make a remark about his _supposed_ over-active libido and constant flirting with everything female. Kirk thought it was just her way of paying him back for his attempts at chatting her up when they were still at the academy.

Man, that woman could hold a grudge.

The only good thing about it was that these comments always seemed to annoy Spock more than Kirk himself. And Kirk loved an annoyed Spock.

In retrospective, however, Kirk thought that it would've been better to actually listen to her for once. Maybe then he and Spock would not be in the predicament they were in now.

"Captain, I still cannot fathom how it occurred to you to eat the Holy Sandorian Fig."

They were hanging in shackles from a wall, somewhere deep inside the dungeons of the royal palace.

"It was on my plate! At dinner! How am I supposed to know this Sandorian Fig-thingy is holy?"

"I distinctly recall that Lieutenant Uhura mentioned this in her briefing before we beamed on the surface."

"Spock, you know I never listen to these boring talks. That's why you're always with me. It's your duty to protect me from things like this."

"If I am to fulfil this duty, Captain, you will have to reduce the speed of your motions while eating by approximately 17.3 percent slower, and I will be able to remove all inappropriate objects before you ingest them."

"Was that a joke?" The minuscule twitch of Spock's mouth told him everything. "Spock, I think you're finally getting in touch with your inner human"

"There is no need to insult me, Captain"

Not wanting to push the Vulcan further he changed the subject. "So how are we getting out of here?"

"The first option would be to await the Sandorian sentence. This likely to entail a fight to death between us and a Sandorian Mountain Geringir."

"Okay, I'll skip the first option. What's the second?"

"Awaiting the rescue party."

"Spock, you're a genius."

Spock raised his eyebrow. "Thank you, Captain"

**2.**

Kirk had come back from a mission in a bad shape. By bad shape, Bones meant the 100-bloodthirsty-Klingons-beating-him-up-and-one-weird-priestess-messing-with-his-head kind of bad. Bones could heal the physical injuries easily enough but was at a loss about Jim's mental state. Not to mention the worried Spock hovering over Jim since he had returned from the planet didn't make things any easier.

"Dammit, Spock. I need some space here! The hypo won't inject itself!"

The murderous look on Spock's face would've reduced Nurse Chapel to tears, but McCoy didn't blink an eye and stared back with an expression to rival the Vulcan's own. Spock stepped aside, and Bones injected the painkiller as he mumbled under his breath about "overprotective green-blooded bastards."

"I don't know if he'll make it this time, Spock. His neural readings are getting worse by the minute. At that rate, his brain will shut down in another two hours. I tried everything I could think of. I'm a doctor not a specialist in telepathy. The human brain is just not suited for it."

Spock did not take his eyes off Jim for a long moment, seemingly contemplating. Finally, he seemed to have won the inner argument and glanced up at McCoy.

"Doctor, there may be still a solution. I could attempt a mind meld with the captain to undo the damage."

"You want to mess with his head again! Are you out of your Vulcan mind!?"

Spock hesitated, almost looking uneasy. "I initiated a meld with the captain before and can say I am somewhat familiar with his mind. I am positive I will be able to undo this and bring him back to consciousness."

Vulcans did not lie. However, nobody said they could not omit parts of the truth. McCoy didn't have to know that it was in fact Spock's older self who had melded with Kirk.

"Okay, then do it, Spock. I want you to know that I'm not happy with it, but it seems like the only option we have left. Let's just hope that this Vulcan mind-mash will help."

Ignoring the doctor's last comment, Spock put his fingers on the appropriate points and delved into the chaos of Kirk's mind. Confusion and fear came across the link they now shared. It felt artificial; it was the fabrication of the priestess to enslave the captain's mind. Still, Spock tried to reach through it to the underlying part where Kirk's mind was still whole.

"Jim, you have to fight this."

There was some tendril, a mere flicker of thought, that reached out to him.

"Jim, come back to me."

He latched onto it and tugged using all his strength, hoping Kirk would draw from it to fight the priestess' influence. But minutes passed, and he did not make any progress. With a last desperate effort, Spock let his barriers down and let his emotions run freely through the link.

"I need you here, Jim."

With a jolt, the captain was back to consciousness again and the link between them broke. Spock's fingers still lingered on his face as Kirk opened his eyes.

"Spock, thanks. I–" The captain paused at the look in the Vulcan's eyes. "I really appreciate what you've done for me."

That was not at all what he wanted to say. The mind meld had conveyed more than either of them could put into words.

"It was my duty to you as your first officer, Captain." Spock withdrew his fingers, though their warmth lingered. "And as your friend."

He was on the verge of saying more when McCoy suddenly clapped Spock sharply on the back.

"Well, I must say, Mr Spock. Maybe you are a genius, after all"

**3.**

They were having a quiet game of chess in the captain's quarters, a tad too quiet for Kirk's tastes. Which meant it was time to rile his Vulcan friend. So Kirk chose a topic Spock was bound to be the most uneasy about.

"So what's Nyota up to tonight?"

Spock became rigid at once.

Mission accomplished.

"The fact that I am here with you, Captain, should tell you I am not aware of _Lieutenant_ Uhura's whereabouts at the moment."

"What? Don't you talk to each other about what you're doing or something?"

"I am not monitoring her very step or that of any other crew member, if that is what you mean to imply."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"I do not know what the current state of the human afterlife has to do with her plans for the evening, Captain."

"Ah. Come off it, Spock! You know exactly what I mean, and it's Jim in private."

Spock's eyebrow twitched, a wrinkle forming between his eyes. An expression that could be described as the Vulcan equivalent of annoyance. Possibly surrendering to the inevitable.

"To be able to continue our game in peace, I will satisfy your obvious curiosity, Jim. Three weeks ago I came to the conclusion that it would be illogical to continue my relationship with lieutenant."

"And how did your brilliant mind come to that conclusion?"

"Careful consideration. A concept, I believe, you are mostly unfamiliar with, Jim."

"That's what I have your genius mind for, Spock!" Kirk winked and grinned madly.

**4.**

They had arrived at the planet three days ago, and the negotiations with the planet's administration hadn't gone well. A meeting with the chancellor at their capital was scheduled for the evening, but Kirk didn't like it at all. It was likely to be a trap. But Starfleet protocol allowed the other party to dictate the terms of negotiation, so they didn't have a choice.

"Sulu and Bones, you two will accompany me to the meeting. Commander Spock, you have the bridge." Kirk rose swiftly from the captain's chair and started for the turbolift.

"Captain, I do not think this course of action is wise. It would be more logical for you to remain on the ship. I will beam down and lead the negotiations."

"I don't see what difference this would make, Spock," Kirk retorted, fuming inside. Time after time, his first officer questioned his orders.

"As a captain of a Starfleet ship, you would be a valuable hostage."

"So you think yourself less valuable then, _Commander_ Spock."

"As a hostage, certainly, sir."

"My order stands. I'll beam down."

"Then allow me to accompany you, Captain, as I have experience in diplomatic issues."

It was a cheap shot, and both of them knew it. His older self had been an ambassador. This version of Spock, however, seemed determined to outwardly disagree until Kirk would relent.

It surprisingly didn't take much.

"All right, Mr Sulu, you have the bridge. Spock accompanies Bones and me."

In the turbolift, a slightly smug Vulcan said, "I knew you would see the logic in my reasoning, Captain."

"I would agree to that if there had been any logic at all."

"Then, I think you just have to trust my 'genius mind' as you so often put it, Captain."

Kirk smiled. "I do, Mr. Spock."

…**and the one time he wasn't****.**

"Dammit, Spock. How did you get in this mess?"

Kirk did not expect an answer from the still figure lying on a bed in sickbay, face bruised and bleeding green out of several deep gashes on his side. Why had he let Spock talk him into beam down alone to an unknown planet? Oh, right. His damn logic!

"Captain, as the science officer of this ship I am the best qualified for this task. There is no need for anyone to accompany me as the planet seems peaceful and uninhabited."

And now, he was in danger of losing not only his first officer but also his friend and... well, something he hadn't had the chance to mention yet.

"Jim, move now, will you?! I've got to work on him," Bones said in gentler tones than he usually used.

Kirk moved a step to the side but not going far. "Will he make it, Bones? Tell me he's gonna make it."

Bones was closing the gashing wounds and didn't look up. "He will, Jim. I'm sure. That pointy-eared hobgoblin is too stubborn to die."

Kirk stayed in sickbay at Spock's side, and nothing Bones would say could get him to leave until the doctor finally gave up on it and left Jim watching over the still unconscious Vulcan.

Sometime during the ship's gamma shift, Spock began to stir, and Kirk was by his side at once grabbing his hand, not giving a damn about Vulcan modesty or reluctance.

"Spock, you're finally awake. You stupid, stupid Vulcan."

There was a dry cough. "And I always thought I was the resident genius."

"So now you start joking! Damn, Spock, I nearly lost you. You're never ever beaming down alone anywhere."

"I do not think that is a logical solution, Captain."

"Logic was what got you in this mess the first place."

But the Vulcan didn't reply. Truthfully, Spock was too tired to continue their bantering. His eyes now focused on Kirk's hand, which was still tightly holding his own. He was surprised but not uncomfortable with it.

"Seems that's another thing you hadn't expected." Kirk tried to make his tone light but couldn't keep the apprehension out of his voice.

Spock smiled his non-smile with the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly. "It seems even a genius does not always see what is in front of him, Jim." He paused and took a breath. "However, as the Science Officer of this ship, I am obliged to explore any new phenomenon I encounter."

Kirk laughed. "Do it thoroughly then, Mr Spock. That's an order!"


End file.
